await
Americanverb (used with object)
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to wait for; expect; look for.
He is still awaiting an answer.
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to be in store for; be imminent.
A pleasant surprise awaits her in today's mail.
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Obsolete. to lie in wait for.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to wait for; expect
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(tr) to be in store for
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(intr) to wait, esp with expectation
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obsolete (tr) to wait for in order to ambush
Usage
What are other ways to say await?
To await something is to wait for it or look for it expectantly. How is await different from anticipate, hope, and expect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- awaiter noun
Etymology
Origin of await
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English awaiten, from Old North French awaitier (Old French aguaitier ), equivalent to a- a- 5 + waitier wait
Explanation
To await is to anticipate or look forward to something. If you're hoping to get a letter from your pen pal, you'll eagerly await the mail carrier's arrival every afternoon. When you await a phone call, you might sit by the telephone at home or keep your cell phone in your hand. A prisoner who awaits trial is biding his time until his case comes before a judge. Sometimes await implies that some particular outcome is in store for someone: "A terrible surprise awaits her, when she gets home and sees that her dog ate the sofa."
Vocabulary lists containing await
Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 1
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Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oil futures were choppy while Asian indexes got a short-lived chip-driven boost, as Middle East tensions simmer and investors await further news on potential U.S.-Iran talks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
And what wonders await you in the uncertainty and mystery.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Votes are trickling in as townspeople await the fate of their controversial moniker.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
Investors await Tesla’s first-quarter earnings report, on April 22, for insights into potential robo-taxi expansion.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
After he voted in town, he returned home in the afternoon to await the election results.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
